"I can't believe you of all people are dragging me to Hogsmeade, looking for cosmetics! You're not putting something artificial on me!" Lily cried out, walking sullenly besides James.
The Head Boy smiled. "We're not going to put makeup on your face, Lil. You just need a suitable dress for the Entrance Ball that Professor McGonagall told us about. We should all look our best since Beouxbaton and Durmstrang students are coming in."
Lily glared up at him. "I should be doing this with Sarah and Melanie. Not you! You should be practicing for your first Quidditch match against Beauxbatons!"
"Your two friends seem to be carrying a detention for Filch. I didn't think Moony, Wormtail, or Padfoot might wanna come," James replied, "And, I don't need anymore practicing. The Beauxbatons are merely pushovers. Their flying style is similar to that of Ravenclaw."
"How sure are you of Ravenclaw's style of flight?" Lily asked, surprised.
James shrugged. "Sirius and I have our resources. Besides, after Thomas and Will left, they decided to help out Gryffindor for Melanie. Such awesome guys…"
"Really, how else could you have found out?"
"Padfoot and I have other things up our sleeves…like our transfiguration technique…"
"Ooooh…you really should register yourself as an Animagus after we graduate," the Head Girl suggested.
"Only if you decide to become one, Lily dear," James joked, which resulted in a punch on the shoulder.
The two walked into Dierdre's Dress Shop. James looked around and spotted a short, light green dress with spaghetti straps. He handed the dress to Lily, who looked at it with astonishment. "See if it's your size," James said.
"Potter! I can't wear that! It's too…revealing!" Lily cried out.
Running his hand through his messy black hair, James took the dress from Lily and placed it in front of her, to see if it would fit. Nodding, he pulled the Head Girl towards the counter.
Lily kept silent until they reached the counter. "How did you earn the skill of knowing which dress looks good on a girl anyway?"
"Easy," James answered, grinning, "If you've been with so many girls that would keep asking whether they looked good in one outfit than on another, you would be able to tell as well."
Green eyes sparkled with amusement. Then Lily realized something. "Hey! You're not paying for it, are you? That's my dress!"
James shrugged, giving the cashier 35 Galleons. Lily's mouth went wide. "Thirty-five Galleons?! James, are you crazy?"
"Oh, calm down, Lil," he said, smiling, "Call it my belated birthday gift. I haven't gotten you one yet."
Shaking her head, Lily accepted the dress. James carried the bag as they walked on, this time in silence. When they passed a ribbon shop, Lily stopped. "Wait, I need to buy something here. It does help to accessorize."
The Head Boy laughed and waited for Lily outside. She came out with another bag. James looked on in amazement. "How many things did you buy?"
"Oh, a trifle amount," Lily said, grinning.
"You guys seem to be having fun," Sarah said from behind.
Lily and James turned to see Sirius taking a picture. "Sirius Black! Why did you do that for?!"
Holding up the photo, Melanie grinned. "Hey, Lily, I told you that you and Potter would look good together!"
"Give me that!" Lily cried out, trying to grab the picture from Melanie.
Sarah laughed. "Oh, come on, Lil. We need that photo for blackmail or something."
Sirius grinned. "Yeah, think about it, 'James Potter Shopping'."
The picture flew out of Melanie's grasp and James caught it, putting his wand back in his pocket. He looked at it strangely. "Hey, Padfoot, why does the picture show me kissing Lily?"
Lily burned with embarrassment as everyone but James and her laughed. Remus tried to answer while wiping tears in his eyes. "That…was Sarah's idea!"
"Sarah, you're going to die," Lily swore.
The Seeker shook his head and smiled. "Hey, Lil, can I keep the picture?"
Melanie swooned. "Aww…Potter wants to keep the photo! How cute!"
"As long as you don't use it for blackmail as well!" Lily cried out, green eyes flashing.
James pocketed the picture and patted Lily on the shoulders. "Calm down, Lily. It was a harmless prank. Besides, if it isn't the truth, then it doesn't hurt, does it?"
The Head Girl shook her head. What James didn't know was that she was beginning to really like him. It was that small tugging feeling that kept saying that she should look her best, to impress him at least. However, Lily shook that thought from her head, frowning. After the year before, she doubted the fact that she could ever date anyone again. The Marauders headed back to the school. There was a small commotion at the front, and Lily went ahead to check it out. Meanwhile, Sirius and Remus cornered James, while Peter was distracting the girls.
"So, Prongs," Sirius teased, "You finally gonna admit that you like Lily more than a friend?"
James looked puzzled. "What are you talking about, Sirius?"
Remus raised an eyebrow. "It's odd why you wanted to keep the picture that we took of you and her."
The Head Boy turned away, not wanting to admit his partiality to Lily Evans. He didn't want his best friends to find out now. Gulping, he quickly thought of an excuse. "I kept that picture because it's the most recent image I have of her, and I wanted to compare it to the new Lily when she gets her makeover."
Sirius and Remus didn't seem to believe a word James Potter said. Shrugging, Remus turned away. Sirius grinned, "Alright, whatever you say, Prongs. But when you are having problems trying to say something to her, don't come running to me."
"Padfoot, you insult her more than I do," James retorted, blushing, "And why should I worry about what I say to Lily? She's my friend, and that's that!"
Again, Sirius flashed his best friend a grin and skipped towards Melanie, whistling a tune. She frowned at him. "What are you guys up to?"
"Oh, nothing, dear," Sirius murmured, planting a kiss on Melanie's cheek, to her utter astonishment.
Lily came back, a bit irritated. Peter noticed this. "What happened, Lil?"
Pointing at Rebecca Ruppert, Lily's green eyes flickered dangerously. "That's what just happened. Thought that she could just bewitch several students to do what she wants them to. Do you know how illegal that is? She was trying to use the Imperius Curse!"
Peter turned pale. Sarah and Melanie gasped. "Really, I appreciate a good prank, but using one of the Unforgivable Curses? Now that's going too far," James commented.
"That girl's got guts," Sirius stated, this time, getting hit with a book. "Ow! Melanie!"
Rebecca approached them. "So, gone shopping, Potter? What did you need to buy? A miracle working kit for ze Head Girl?"
Lily fumed and was about to say something, but was interrupted by an announcement. It was Professor McGonagall's voice. "Would the Gryffindor Quidditch team and the team representing Beauxbaton please enter the Quidditch arena? Our first tournament is about to start. Everyone else, please head on to the field where the first International Quidditch match is about to start.
Remus frowned, "The first match was today?"
"Yeah," James sighed. "Oh well, better get ourselves ready. Come on, Sirius, Sarah. Wish us luck, guys."
Everyone but Lily wished James and the others good luck. Rebecca's eyes turned with interest towards the Quidditch players and headed to the field to watch in her own way. The Head Girl accompanied James, Sirius and Sarah to the trail that led towards the Gryffindor locker rooms. James looked at her curiously. "Why are you following us?"
"Two things," she answered calmly, and then exploded in his face. "YOU BUM! YOU WERE WITH ME IDLING ABOUT WHEN YOU HAD A MATCH TODAY! Haven't you had any sense to at least practice?!"
The Head Boy flinched at Lily's cries and tried to smile, his eyes a bit grim. "Calm down, Lily. It's going to be fine. Sirius, Sarah and I have practiced this all day yesterday, while all of you were busy studying for no apparent reason. Catching the Snitch isn't too hard a task, so don't worry about me."
Lily snorted, "Who said I was worrying? Oh, and the other thing, hand me your glasses, will you?"
James shrugged and took his glasses off, making Lily stare for a while. She thought of how great looking James really was even when his glasses were off. Sarah and Sirius glanced at each other and grinned. After a slight pause, Lily hastily grabbed the glasses and pointed her wand at it, muttering a small spell. "I'm surprised you haven't bewitched your glasses so that you can see through them, no matter what the weather is. Don't worry about cracks, it won't happen."
James looked at her, amazed. "Wow. Thanks, Lil." With that, he headed inside.
Sarah smiled mischievously and pretended to blow a kiss towards the Head Girl. "Why thank you, Lil! I so very appreciate— "
"Come on, Sarah, before she pounds the both of us!" Sirius cried out at her and pushed her into the tent.
"You're welcome, Potter," Lily said softly and ignored the comments made by her other friends. She turned to go to the Quidditch field, where everybody was assembled. Melanie waved at her. "Come on! It's about to start!"